Thursday, February 17, 2011

Familiarizing Yourself With Postmodernism

Postmodern Art - a movement in Western art, spanning from the late 1970s until the present, which rejects the key ideas of modernism.

Pastiche - a literary, artistic, musical, or architectural work that imitates the style of previous work or an artistic composition made up of selections from different works.

Bricolage - the construction or creation of a work of art from a diverse range of things which happen to be available.

Pluralism - a postmodern movement in art that assumes the cultural context of art should be all encompassing in its respect for the art of the world's wide variety of cultures and artistic styles, and that diverse cultural and stylistic influences can coexist in a work of art.

Appropriation - an artistic concept in which an artist uses an image already in existence and places it in a new context in order to give it new meanings.


What brought about the Postmodern movement?
*Modern Art was founded on “breaking the rules.” Eventually there were no more rules in art to break.
*The postmodern philosophy of Jacques Derrida and Michel Foucault who reject the concept of “binaries” or “either-or” classifications.
*Artists felt that modernism had become purely “art about art”. It was too focused on itself, and had therefore become elitist. Postmodern artists wanted to explore personal expression, social causes, and rediscover their art historical legacy.
*The art world was (and still is) flourishing. Art has become a valuable commodity. Some postmodern artists want to draw attention to this.


What are some of the characteristics of Postmodern art?
*Appropriation: the use of already existing imagery presented in new ways to give new meaning.
*Skepticism and humor.
*Postmodern artists identify themselves within an art historical context.
*A blending of cultural influences.
*Pluralist ideology.
*Much postmodern art seeks to tear down the establishment of “white male” dominance in Western art by focussing on issues of race, feminism, and sexual orientation.
*Pop culture and “lowbrow” influences are just as relevant to postmodernists as established “fine art” influences.
*The use of text as the central artistic element.
*A return to traditional themes and techniques as a rejection of modernism.


Some Note-Worthy Postmodern Artists

Jean-Michel Basquiat

Gajin Fujita

Jeff Koons

Michael Ray Charles

Barbara Kruger


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